Feb. 18, 2014

Lions general manager Martin Mayhew / Associated Press

Written by

Detroit Free Press Sports Writer

If the Detroit Lions want to draft the perfect wide receiver to complement Calvin Johnson and give Matthew Stafford another great outside target, they’ll have to overcome their own recent miserable draft history at the position.

Since general manager Martin Mayhew joined the Lions in 2001, the team has been abysmal in drafting receivers, with the exception of Roy Williams in 2004 and Johnson in 2007 — both of whom were selected within the first seven picks.

Since 2001, the Lions have drafted 11 receivers other than Williams and Johnson — three in the first three rounds — and none has made a significant impact or lasted more than three seasons with the team.

The position especially is crucial this year in the draft because the Lions have only four receivers other than Johnson under contract, and three will have to fight to stay on the team.

The Lions also don’t have a lot of options in the draft or in free agency. They have virtually no salary cap space and only six picks in the draft, with only one pick in each of the first four rounds.

That puts the Lions in a tough spot for finding a receiver in this year’s draft and launches a crucial fact-finding mission during the NFL scouting combine this week. There isn’t a close second-best receiver after Clemson’s Sammy Watkins, who is expected to be off the board before the Lions pick 10th.

And that means the Lions must do something they haven’t done in the past 13 years: find a great receiver after the first round of the draft.